Cliffe administered restoratives and for the first time he lost his smile and looked worried.

You see until quite lately I had had a very tranquil life, deeply interested in other folks' joys and sorrows, but moved by very few of my own.

And now there had swooped down on me this ravening pack of emotions which were tearing me to pieces.

I lay for a couple of days tortured by physical pain, humiliation and mental anguish.
On the evening of the second day, Marigold came into the bedroom with a puzzled look on his face.
"Colonel Boyce is here, sir.

I told him you were in bed and seeing nobody, but he says he wants to see you on something important.